You Are Not Broken: Releasing the Shame That Holds You Back

For women who’ve endured trauma, addiction, or time behind bars, it’s easy to believe a painful lie: that you’re too damaged to heal, too flawed to be whole. Shame whispers that you are your past. That you’re not enough. But none of that is true.

At Awaken Your Lioness, we want to tell you—you are not broken. You are becoming.

The Weight of Shame

Shame is more than just a feeling—it’s a heavy lens through which we view ourselves. It keeps us quiet, keeps us small, and convinces us that we don’t deserve good things.

It sounds like:

“I’ll never be worthy of love or success.”

“If people knew the real me, they’d leave.”

“I can’t move forward because of what I’ve done.”

But shame is not the truth. It’s a wound that can be healed.

What Healing from Shame Looks Like

1. Telling the Truth (Without Judgment)

Speak your story. Write it. Share it in safe spaces. Shame thrives in silence. Healing begins with honesty.

2. Challenging the Inner Critic

Notice the voice in your head. Is it kind or cruel? Replace “I’m not enough” with “I’m growing, and that’s enough for today.”

3. Allowing Yourself to Be Seen

Find community that sees your worth—not in spite of your past, but because you’ve survived it.

4. Accepting That Healing Isn’t Linear

You may still have hard days. That doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you’re human.

5. Honoring Who You’re Becoming

You are not here by accident. You are here because you kept going. That’s not brokenness—that’s resilience.

You Are Not What Hurt You

You are not the trauma. You are not the addiction. You are not the prison sentence.

You are the woman who lived through it—and who is now learning to live free.

Healing is possible. Worth is your birthright. And your story is far from over.